Car coupling device



Nov. 15, 1932 EVANS 1,887,753

CAR COUPLING DEVICE Filed Dec. s, 1929 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR gi wfw Nov. 15, 1932. EVANS; 1,887,753

CAR COUPLING DEVICE Filed Dec. 6, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Patented Nov. 15, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALIBE RT E. EVANS, F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO PITTSBURGH PLATE GLASS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA can courmne DEVICE Application filed December 6, 1929. Serial No. 412,210.

The invention relates to car couplingapparatus designed particularly for coupling together the cars or tables employed in straight-away glass grinding and polishing operations. In such operations, the cars with the glass seated upon theirupper faces, are moved in a continuous train beneath a series of grinding and polishing runners.

It is necessary under these conditions that the cars be held tightly together, so that the upper surfaces constitute acontinuous unbroken surface, and it is the primary object of the present invention to provide coupling apparatus of simple, reliable design, which will insure the maintenance of the car or table ends tightly in contact, regardless of vibration or strain tending to loosen the connections. and permit the cars to spread apart. Certain embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a partial plan view and partial section of the construction. Fig. 2 is a section on the line IIII of Fig. 1. And Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are isometric detail views of certain parts of the apparatus.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the numerals 1 and 2 indicate the ends of two abutting tables or cars to which the coupling arrangement is applied. These cars are carried by wheels 3, 3 mounted upon the track 4. The cars have their upper surfaces at the same level and are provided with joint strips 5, 5 of steel which are secured to the ends of the car castings by means of screws The cars are moved alon the track by any suitable means, preferably y racks (not shown) secured to the under sides of the cars and engaged by pinions driven from motors, thus providing a means for moving a continuous train of cars slowly beneath the grinding and polishing machines which are employed for surfacing the glass.

One of the cars is provided with an upwardly facing hook 6 having a threaded shank 7. This hook is mounted in a housing 8 bolted to the casting 2 and the shank is surrounded by a pair of compression springs 9 and 10. The tension on these springs is regulated by means of a nut 11 which bears against a plate 12 interposed between the springs and the nut. The hook 6 is provided with a wear plate 13.

Mounted in opposition to the hook 6 is the hook 14 carried by the end of the-car 1. This hook is mounted for swinging movement upon a crank pin 15 (Fig. 5) having eccentric end portions 16, 16, the end portions being mounted in suitable bearings 17 17 secured to the end of the car (Fig. 1). The crank pin has integral with it an operating lever 18 provided with a lifting lug 19. A second lug 19 is provided onca disc 19a also integral withthe crank pin. The hook 124 carries on its-hub portion a lug 20 which is adapted to be engaged by the lugs 19 when the lever 18 is swung in a counterclockwise direction. When the leverx 18 is swung in s the direction of the arrow (Fig. 4) it rotates the crank'pin 15 so as to move the hook 14 to the right (position D of Fig. 2) to loosen its engagement with the hook 6 after which the lug 19 engages the lug 20 and swings the hook 'up to the dotted line position B shown in Fig. 2. This constitutes the releasing movement of the parts. To engage the parts, the lever 18 is swung in a clockwise direction, which first permits the hook to drop down to horizontal position and on a further movement pulls the hook to the left bringing it into tight engagement with the hook 6. This movement continues until the crank pin 15 is practically on dead center with the end portions 16, 16 and at this time the hook 6 is pulled to the left to the position indicated in Fig. 2 leaving a small amount of clearance at 21. The amount of tension which is placed upon the springs 9 and 10 will vary according to conditions, but will ordinarily run from 15 to 20 thousand pounds which has been found suflicient to keep the ends of the cars tightly in engagement. The hook 14 is also provided with a wear plate 22 similar to the plate 13, such plates being of hardened steel.

The lever 18 is preferably provided with a roller 23 and is operated by any suitable vmeans, such operation being incident to the locked full line position, it is referably held in such position by means 0 the rail upon which the roller 93 travels.

The use of the springs 9 and 10 insures against the hooks becoming loosened in service so as to prevent the car ends from separating slightly. With the construction as shown and described, the cars are always pulled tightly together regardless of any lost motion which may develop in the coupling apparatus due to wear. The advantage ofthe construction will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1. A coupling device for a pair of abutting cars having unyielding engaging parts, comprising a hook secured to the end of one car, spring means under stress holding the hook against horizontal movement, a second hook secured to the end of the other car and facing oppositely to the first hook, such hook being mounted for both swinging and longitudinal movement, and means operated by the movement of the car for swinging said second hook so as to engage the first hook and then to move it longitudinally, moving the first hook longitudinall and placing said spring means under a ditional stress such as to prevent a relative movement of the cars under operating conditions.

2. A coupling device for a pair of abutting cars having unyielding engaging parts, comprising an upwardly facing hook secured to the end of one car, sprin means under compression holding the hoo against movement longitudinally of the car, a second downwardly facing hook secured to the end of the I other car, such hook being mounted for vertical swinging movementand for movement longitudinally of the car, and operatin means for swinging said second hook adapted to move it downwardly into engagement with the first hook and then to move it lon 'tudinally, moving the first hook longitu ally and placing said spring means under add1- tional stress such as to prevent a relative movement of the cars under operating conditions.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 25th day of November,

ALBERT E. EVANS. 

